


the world is brighter than the sun

by agitatedstates



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Holidays, M/M, a lil bit of ignis whumpage, description of injuries and blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-24 21:19:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17108309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agitatedstates/pseuds/agitatedstates
Summary: They know that in a few months they’ll have to go to Altissia, that Noctis will get married. Neither of them talk about what it means for them, for this unspoken thing between them. Noctis wishes one of them would say something, but maybe it’s better for their sanity to ignore it, to act like theres nothing there. It kills Noctis to think about Ignis being by his side his whole life, but never in the way he wants him to be.orthree insights into Ignis and Noctis life. a confession, protection, and a sacrifice.





	the world is brighter than the sun

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saretus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saretus/gifts).



> this is an ignoct secret santa gift for saretus/saaretus, who is a wonderful writer that you should all check out, and they asked for angst/ignis whumpage/a lil fluff so i did my best to provide!!! enjoy!!!

The holidays at the citadel were always busy. Bustling and overwhelming, Noctis was drawn in a million different directions at any given moment, and the end of the year always caused him more stress than anything else. The weight of the crown had always weighed heavy on Nocts head, and the need for his presence at events he doesn't care about makes it all the worse. Coupled with his back injury feeling worse as it gets cold, and the fact he can’t even destress with Prompto makes it the worst time of year for Noctis.

One shining light in this time is Ignis. If Noct was being honest, Ignis always lights up his life. It’s cheesy, and Noctis would never say it aloud, but it’s honest. He thinks that Ignis knows, and that’s why he seems to put a little more effort into his time with Noctis during the holidays, a little relief from the cold dampening his mood.  

It’s a sweetened coffee in the morning as he wakes up, three marshmallows floating on the top as Ignis greets him. It’s extra sweets when he returns to his apartment, Ignis’ latest attempt at the Tenebraen sweet Noct became attached to. It’s the lingering touches on Nocts back, the stolen glances, and the “urgent meetings” where Ignis steal Noct away just so he can _breathe._

Ignis knows Noct better than anyone else in the world, he’s seen Noctis at his lowest, knows exactly how to get him out of it. He also knows when to leave him alone, which does volumes more than half attempts at rousing him from his bed when he can barely get _out._  

Noctis and Ignis have a day off together, the week before the Shiva Festival, and it’s the first time in what feels like forever they have some time in _private._ They know that in a few months they’ll have to go to Altissia, that Noctis will get _married._ Neither of them talk about what it means for _them_ , for this unspoken thing between them. Noctis wishes one of them would say _something,_ but maybe it’s better for their sanity to ignore it, to act like theres nothing there. It kills Noctis to think about Ignis being by his side his whole life, but never in the way he wants him to be. So close, but he can never touch. It’s a burden Noctis is willing to carry. 

Ignis is in a long forgotten room when Noctis finally finds him, a practice room from their childhood. He’s dusting off a grand piano, hidden in the back corner and probably out of tune. Noctis tells him so, in place of announcing himself

“I know.” Ignis still drags it out on its wheels, to the centre of the room. “I still like to play it. It reminds me of when we were children”

Noctis blushes, realising it was the one they played on together, when Noct was just learning. Ignis still plays, only at the Shiva festival party amongst their families. It’s a rare treat, and Ignis sits down and pats the seat next to him.

“Will you play with me, Noct?”

As if Noctis could ever turn him down. He pretends to be bothered most of the time, but he likes making Ignis’ life easier, now that he’s older. He sits next to Ignis, taking up his spot at the lower notes, just like they did as kids.

Noctis can feel Ignis’ heat next to him, and Noct tries to not let it get to him. He’s sweating just a little, despite the cold, and it's _embarrassing ._ He’s 20 years old, he should know how to sit next to Ignis and not be a mess.

Ignis starts a slow tune, one so familiar to Noctis it makes his heart ache, and Noct falls into place beside him, playing lower notes that are just enough out of tune for him to notice it, but he doesn’t mind. He likes being alone with Ignis, separated from the outside world. Frost covers the wall of windows and snow falls gently past, and they’re lit up by the city’s nightlife.

Noct can’t tear his eyes away from Ignis’ face, from his cheekbones and his eyes, and Noctis knows he’s in love. He couldn’t lie to himself if he tried, and he thinks he should tell Ignis, tell him right now. He should tell Ignis before he has to get _married._

_I love you, Ignis_

He thinks it as hard as he can, thinks it so hard that he hopes Ignis knows, that maybe he can feel it.

“What did you just say?”

Oh Gods, Oh Gods no, he didn’t mean to say it _out loud_ , and Nocts face is flushing red as Ignis stares at him, looks into his _soul._

“I, uh-” 

“Did you mean it?”

Noctis tries to turn away from him, avoid the conversation and pretend it never happened, but Ignis grabs his face, makes Noctis _look_ at him.

“I need you to tell me if you meant it, Noctis.”

Noctis can’t even lie to him, has never been able to lie to Ignis, really. He just stares at him, hoping that he doesn’t have to say it again. Ignis just continues to stare looking more panicked as the seconds go by.

Noct realises there’ll never be another moment for it, that now is the time to say it for _real._

“I love you, Ignis. I meant it.”

Ignis _kisses_ him, and Gods its everything Noctis had ever wanted. Noctis is grabbing him, holding him as close as he can. He never wants to let go, never wants to leave this moment. It belongs to him and Ignis, no one else.

The piano stays forgotten next to them, childhood memories of learning and playing together far from Nocts mind, the only thing that matters is Ignis’ hands on him and his lips on his.

* * *

“To your right Gladio!” 

Prompto is yelling from his vantage point as they fight an unexpected horde of MT’s that had dropped on them, and Noct is feeling more than a little overwhelmed. It’s getting chaotic quickly, and he hears another dropship coming, and he realises there’s no way they’re getting out of this in one piece.

“Ignis! We need to get out of here!”

Noct isn’t looking for a second, turning to find Ignis in the chaos, when he hears mechanical whirring too close to him, closer than he expected, and he turns to see Ignis daggers blocking a blow meant for Noctis’ chest. Noctis is taking out the MT as fast as he can, but not quick enough to stop the sound of bones snapping from Ignis, and the smell of blood.

Noctis is grabbing Ignis and warping away as quick as possible, and he’s running the moment he hits solid ground again, despite the wave of nausea that hits him when he smells the blood again. He knows Prompto and Gladio are following him, and he’s calling for their chocobos before he can think.

“Let go of me, Noctis i’m _fine_!”

He lets Ignis stand, forgets he’s been half carrying him this whole time, and Noctis finally looks at Ignis’ hands.

“ _Six-”_

Noctis is choking up, as he sees the gaping wound in both of his hands, where the broken bones have jutted out. His wrists are snapped, and his hands seem to be splintered into parts. He’s digging for elixirs, potions, _phoenix downs_ if he has to, anything to make sure he’s okay.

“Noctis, Noct look at me”

Noctis didnt realise he was panicking, digging frantically through his bag. He allows himself a look at Ignis, pale but determined, and Noctis feels like a scared little kid again.

“Let us make camp, and then we will heal my wounds. It’ll be okay.”

Noctis wants to kiss him, right here in the Leide countryside, because Ignis always puts Noctis before himself, always thinking about him, but Noct still cracks a potion over his hands and ignores the hiss from Ignis’ lips as the chocobos arrive.

Gladio is pulling up Ignis before Noct can even think about it, helping him stay stable on the chocobo and resolutely ignoring his hands as they race to the nearest outpost, a haven not nearly enough for this.

 

It feels like an eternity before Noctis is carefully wrapping up Ignis hands, under precise instructions from Ignis, and trying his best to lessen the damage. There was two rooms available, so Noct is alone with Ignis, and he tries not to cry as he sees Ignis’ hands shake once he lets go.

“The potions will heal the worst of it. I fear what my nerves will become, but that is an issue for another day”

“Ignis-” Noct chokes on it, can’t really look Ignis in the eye without the overwhelming thought that it’s _all my fault._ “I’m so sorry Iggy, i shouldn't have let this happen”

Noct feels tears well up, feels his throat contract and a weight on his chest. He doesn’t understand how Ignis is _okay_ with this, how he can act like this isn’t wrong, that Ignis will probably have permanent _nerve damage._

“Noctis. Noct, come back to me, my love”

Shaking hands reach up to Nocts face, wiping away the tears that appeared out of nowhere. It’s only in quiet moments that Ignis allows himself to touch Noctis, to be affectionate. Noctis tries to ignore the shaking, and he just holds Ignis, repeating that he’s sorry over and over again.

Noctis spends the whole night trying to heal Ignis’ hands, even uses his own magic on the potions he uses. But nothing he does takes the scaring away, or lessens the shake of his hands. Ignis can’t even hold a fork for the first week, and Noctis, Gladio and Prompto start having to take hunts without him to keep gil in their pockets. Ignis works hard, but his hands are never the same again. They lack precision, refinement, like he’s learning to use his weapons all over again.

Ignis is forced to watch from the sidelines and as everyone else fights around him, and Noctis feels nothing but guilt as Ignis starts to fall behind. He crawls up to Ignis every night, tracing his scars and cradling his hands as they shake, uncaring of Gladio and Prompto seeing. They would have figured out that they're _together_ by now, but in secret Noct kisses Ignis hands, and promises to be Ignis’ hands if he needs him to be.

* * *

Ignis feels the first sunrise in a decade on his skin, and hears small noises of astonishment from Prompto beside him. Gladio stays stoic on his other side, but he can sense the small trembles from his body beside him.

“It’s more beautiful than I remember it”

Prompto’s voice is thick, and it’s clear that he’s close to tears. He can hear Gladios sobs, audible now, and it takes all of Ignis’ willpower to not cry too. Noct wouldn’t _want_ him to be sad.

The thought of Noct is what finally sets him off, and tears flow from his unsealed eye as he _cries_ , the sun on his skin the closest he’ll ever get to Noctis touch again. Prompto holds him up as his knees buckle, and he’s gently lowered to the ground, where Gladio encircles the both of them in his arms. It makes Ignis feel like he’s almost safe, as they cry on each other in the throne room of the citadel.

Soon, they’ll get off the ground and do what needs to be done. Prompto and Gladio will struggle to remove the sword that pins Noctis to his throne, the place that he was always meant to take, but not like this. It’ll take all three of them to take it out, and they tenderly grab Noctis as he slumps forward. Ignis is glad he can't see it.

Hysterically, Ignis will think about using every potion and phoenix down they have, just like Noctis thought, all those years ago, as his shaking hands help Gladio and Prompto move him to a better place. The three of them will bury him, beside their final campsite on the hill overlooking Insomnia. It’s where Noctis _asked them_ to bury him. Ignis will think about throwing himself in, letting himself be with Noctis, to stay by his side. The thought of Gladio and Prompto losing the both of them is enough to make Ignis reconsider it. They bury him with the Engine Blade, and his father's sword.

It takes months to force Ignis back into Insomnia, where everyone is slowly rebuilding what they lost. Prompto visited every day, not always asking, but the question was there. _Just one day, Iggy? Please?_

Ignis concedes, eventually, and it’s the first time the three of them step foot in the citadel since _that day._ They explore it, which more accurately can be explained as Gladio leading Prompto and Ignis through with what little he remembers. There isn’t much left from before, most was destroyed in the attack from Niflheim, and the rest fell into disrepair from a decade of being left to the daemons. They find some things though, remnants of Ignis and Gladio’s childhood, and it’s the first time Prompto is close to most of these places.

They find a music room, and Prompto quietly tells Ignis there’s a big piano. It feels like Ignis’ heart has been crushed, but he tentatively walks towards it. Prompto helps him sit, and Ignis’ hands shake more than normal as he lifts the cover up. Ignis thinks of better times, a young Noctis sitting beside him as they learn to play. He thinks this is the piano where he kissed Noctis for the first time, where they would hide away to kiss again and again in those blessed few months before they left for Altissia.

Noct and Ignis deserved more time, more kisses, and Noctis deserved to be next to Ignis and playing piano with him. Noctis promised to be Ignis’ hands. They haven’t been the same since the incident with the MTs, and Ignis can’t even see the keys of the piano if he wanted to play. So he just cries at the piano as Gladio and Prompto stand behind him, and he wishes more than anything that Noctis was here, beside him.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! i struggled a lil cos im not great with angst and whumpage, but i hope saretus is happy! and i hope you all liked it too!!
> 
> twitter: pitiossruins  
> tumblr: transignisscientia


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